women’s issues

What Does it Mean to Be Wiser & Wilder?

Posted by Barbara Techel

What Does it Mean to Be Wiser and Wilder?

What wilder meant to me when I was younger, means something entirely different these days. Wilder when I was in my 20s and 30s, when I look back, often felt disjointed. I was trying to find my way of what it was that mattered, but often found myself getting caught up in how I was supposed to be according to society’s beliefs.

Ack! I’m so glad I know better these days. Though, this being human still can have its moments of forgetting and falling back into old patterns. But here’s where the wiser part kicks in and the work I’ve done to date, and continue to do on my inner world, is what supports me in knowing that the only way to be in this crazy, oftentimes complex world, is to be who I am.

During the month of May I’m honored to be one of five women interviewed for the one year book celebration written by Kaya Singer, “Wiser and Wilder, A Soulful Path for Visionary Women Entrepreneurs”. When I read Kaya’s book a few months ago I felt like someone finally understood me. Her wise words had, and continue to, have a positive impact on me – guiding me to continue to be who I am in the world – one small or large step at a time.

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Just looking at the cover of Kaya’s book, which is a painting she did, I LOVE what it conveys to me – that growing older does not have to be negative or that you no longer have value – but that it can be glorious in so many ways! It also makes me think about indigenous cultures and how they have always valued the elderly and their wisdom.

And something I’d wished I’d understood when younger, and Kaya writes about beautifully in her book, is weaving into our life and work all the aspects that make us women – whether we are in the maiden, mother or crone stage of our lives. But that tapping into each of these energies can serve us in living our best lives.

So how am I wilder these days? I don’t worry so much what others think of me and my choices – I lean more and more into living by the beat of my own drum…and it’s what I believe wilder is all about.

To join in with all the wiser and wilder women during the one year birthday celebration, come visit Kaya’s special celebration page here.  My interview will be on Monday, May 8th and where you can catch all the interviews. Also, on May 31st there will be a Fire Circle Call where we will all be gathered and you are invited to come share your story!

Thank you for sharing and subscribing to my blog updates.

The Question of Balance Has Been on My Mind Lately

Posted by Barbara Techel

The Question of Balance Has Been on My Mind Lately

The question of balance has been on my mind quite a bit lately. Spring is here, and with it, I’m wondering how I’ll balance all I wish to do.

With spring and warmer temps on the way I’m yearning to be outside more, spend time with friends, and yet, still wanting to pursue working on workshops I’m planning and facilitating, along with the many ideas for future workshops I have waiting in the tunnel for exploration. I’ve also immersed myself in a few classes the last couple of weeks to fine tune my facilitating skills. How do I do all of this along with all the other basic functions of life?

While in the planning stages of the next workshop I’ll be offering in my home studio (Animal Wisdom and SoulCollage®) with my friend and colleague, Rachel, this question of trying to balance it all came up for both of us. No matter one’s age, as she is twenty years younger than me, it seems that we are always trying to achieve some sort of balance – and maybe it’s just because I’m a woman, but this question of balance seems to be more of a challenge with women.

Just thinking about it as I write this I feel a shift happening of my mind racing and even feeling a little light-headed and anxious. It’s times like this that I also think about all the reading I’ve been doing about the indigenous culture and how their life ebbed and flowed more in balance like nature, following the energy of the moon, and flowing with more ease as nature does.

We’ve been so conditioned as a society to strive for the top, whatever the top is, and achieve material things, and to keep going at a pace that isn’t really possible to keep up with. And then when we try to slow down it can feel like we want to jump out of our skin!…and as if we aren’t doing enough or being enough!

I know that feeling having taken a two month sabbatical after feeling so burnt out in 2013. Initially that is what it felt like. It was so uncomfortable. I didn’t know what to do with myself. But after two weeks, that uneasy, jittery, feeling began to subside. And so I think about that now as I’m questioning this new sense of a shift again within myself as the season changes. And Lord, if that word trust does not come up again as I give thought to all of this.

And I’m reminded of what my friend and I talked about and how I shared that my energy and production level is so much higher in terms of fulling my works mission from mid-fall through the winter months. When I look back over the past six months I’ve accomplished so much!

This need to find more balance of work and play, instead of all work, is knocking at my door as spring slowly makes its way to Wisconsin. And this is perhaps the lesson of what balance looks like for me instead of losing myself in thinking how our culture defines it. How important it is that we each take the time to tune into our own energy patterns and work with them, instead of comparing ourselves others.

And this is why I love writing as I just worked this question of balance all out on the page and I feel so much better. Hope it was beneficial for you, too!

Thank you for sharing and subscribing to my blog updates.

Finding Clarity through Tuning in and Really Listening

Posted by Barbara Techel

I share with you today the book trailer I made for my latest memoir, Wisdom Found in the Pause – Joie’s Gift.

When I decided to write this book, I wanted more than anything for people (especially women) to read it and know that they deserve to take time for themselves – that really, it is imperative in order to live the life they want.

A part of me felt vulnerable at times for sharing my story about grief, letting go, and not knowing what was next, because I’d thought I’d had it all figured out, and then realized we will have many transitional periods in our lives. I also believed in my heart that many others were going through a similar transitional time, or would be in the future.

While I envisioned being in the place I am today, a new direction of helping and encouraging women to take time for creativity, stillness, and looking within to listen to their own soul whispers, I look back now and see that every step I took until this point was necessary – even though at times it felt like I was in murky water and I’d never get out of that questionable place.

Putting together this video today is just another way in which I want to encourage others and let them know that is perfectly okay to be in a space of transition – to see it as a gift – to sift through your thoughts with gentleness.

I hope you will enjoy the video. And if you are a reader of my blog who lives nearby, I’d welcome you to take time just for you during a winter women’s creative sacred soul circle I’m facilitating at my studio, Joyful Pause. It begins January 19th, and you can learn more about it here. I’ve extended the early bird pricing because I truly want to be of help to others.

Thank you for sharing and subscribing to my blog updates.